Are the Skies There The Same?
by Akai-No-Jutsu
Summary: After the last day before starting another year in High School, Marshall is visited by his charming new neighbor. What events shall transpire over the year? Read to find out! First serious fic, review as you see fit. Rated M for later content, triggers, drug reference, cutting/depression. There will be fluff, but also real shit! FioLee High School AU.
1. Chapter 1 - Summer's End

As a light breeze carried smoke though the early night air, Marshall Lee took one last drag of his cigarette before throwing it to the dirt and stepping it out with his shoe. He sighed to himself and flicked his hair out of his face, looking out onto the forest behind his house. Tonight was the last night of summer vacation; something that the teen tried not to think about. Tomorrow he'd be starting his junior year at Alpha Arsenal Academy or AAA for short. Although the title suggested otherwise, AAA was a public school. Marshall's small city pretty much revolved around the Academy and the University, attracting a diverse set of people to the unique environment. He readjusted the collar of his black and red flannel and turned back into his house. Marshall's parents had died when he was young, and one of the few things he still had was the house he lived in. It was big and surprisingly modern. Marshall Lee kicked off his converse and threw himself haphazardly into the couch in his spacious living room, kicking his feet onto the black coffee table in front of him. _Tomorrow begins another horrid day. Will it be worth it?_ Marshall thought to himself. He never really made too many friends, even though girls always seemed to flock to him, though only for his looks. But he didn't mind. He could play the role of the ladies' man quite well. Marshall reached over to his guitar, which had been leaning against the TV stand a few feet away. He lazily plucked on the strings, repeating melodies he'd taught himself of rock songs, and singing along to his own songs written over the years. He continued on for about an hour, stopping to take a walk to the fridge.

After pouring himself a glass of Coke, he picked up his cup and the bottle and made his way to the couch again. As he attempted to sit down, he was startled by the doorbell ringing. _Who the hell would be over here at this hour? Hell, hardly anyone even knows where I live._ Marshall mulled over his thoughts as to who the guest might be, but was soon interrupted by another piercing ring from the door. Groaning lightly, he walked over to the door and threw it open. Marshall's eyed the person in front of him, looking her up and down, not recognizing her in any way.

She was a girl about his age, wearing two mismatching shades of blue, a darker skirt with a lighter long sleeve shirt. She had equally vibrant blue eyes, one partially hidden behind a wave of golden hair protruding from- _Is that a bunny hat?_ Marshall questioned, raising an eyebrow to himself. The girl smiled at Marshall Lee, eyes lighting up and teeth grinning wide.

"Hi there! My name is Fionna. Me and my family just moved in the house just down the road from you guys. I thought I'd present myself to the neighbors while the folks unpack, and it looks like your house is the only one for a ways," Fionna talked fast and happily, clearly excited to have met someone her own age.

"Uhh… Hi. Name's Marshall Lee," Marshall uttered, still processing the word vomit that this girl had just laid out to him. "So… You're my new neighbor, huh? Welcome, I guess." Marshall scratched the back of his head as a light silence fell for a moment. This is not what he expected to deal with this late at night.

"Nice to meet you Marshall Lee! So, are your parents out? I only saw the motorcycle in the front of the house and-," Fionna began brightly, but was quickly cut short by Marshall.

"I don't have any. At least… Not anymore," Marshall spoke bluntly; his eyes drifting to the motorcycle his dad had left him and then back to the girl in front of him.

"Oh my glob! I'm sorry… I didn't know," Fionna apologized quickly, looking guilty for making the remark.

"It's no big deal. You couldn't have known." Marshall cleared his throat and changed the subject. "So. What brings your family all the way out to this dumpy city?"

"It's not that bad Marshall. My dad got transferred to a new office position in this town, so we went with him." Fionna smiled again, her eyes shining in the sunset rays. In the distance, the sound of a female voice was calling. Fionna's smile slowly faded, and she turned to face the road where she had presumably come from. "Well, that's my mom. It was nice meeting you! Maybe we'll see each other in school? Anyway. Bye!" Before Marshall could respond, the bubbly teen had gone bounding down the pathway. _Oh shit._ Marshall thought again. _School._

 ** _Author's Notes_**

 **Hey guys, so I've officially began a new, way improved story. Not that I had too many followers beforehand. Anyway. I know this chapter is kinda short, but it's a test to see if this gets off the ground. If you're eager to see how this story unfolds, review. Until then.**

 **~Akai**


	2. Chapter 2 - School

Ch. 2 - School

Early morning air blew through the large house where Marshall Lee had been sleeping peacefully, until the piercing sound of an alarm clock tore the poor teen away from his own world of wonderment and dreams. Slamming an open hand haphazardly onto his clock, Marshall lifted (or rather rolled) himself out of bed and onto the dark hardwood floor. Grunt loudly and letting out his typical "Fu-uck," Marshall picked himself up and stretched his arms over his head. Clad in nothing but his briefs, he trudged downstairs to his kitchen to make himself some breakfast before his big day. _Great. 2 months of alone time are now over, and I'm once again back to this shitty routine._ Marshall sighed to himself as he cracked a few eggs into a bowl and began mixing. After he set the mixture into a pan he left it on the stove as he trudged back upstairs to get dressed. He brushed his hair and threw on some generic black skinny jeans, along with a one-size-too-big flannel, which clung loosely to his thin frame. He topped off his look with two skull earrings placed into his lobes. He looked himself once over in the mirror and figured he looked at least presentable, even with strands of black hair weaving their way into his face. Who would he be trying to impress? A faint smell of smoke brought Marshall back to his reality and he turned and bolted back downstairs in an attempt to salvage his burning eggs.

 **~'~**

Marshall weaved between cars on his way to school, as he always does, receiving and returning many middle fingers as he tore across the roads. He finally pulled his cycle into the gates of his school and into his new parking spot, killing the engine and removing the helmet. With a flick of his hair, he was off into the halls of this _godforsaken jail of education_ , as he likes to call it. His dark eyes shifted amongst the crowd of students gathering in the halls and courtyards, analyzing new faces and doing his best to recognize old ones. While making eye contact with a particularly cute girl near some lockers, Marshall Lee slammed hard into the large boy in front of him. After regaining his balance, Marshall Lee scowled and set off towards the guy who he'd hit.

"Hey man, learn to watch where you-," Marshall was cut off as he pulled the boy around, recognizing him to be a certain blonde guy chatting it up with a smaller boy.

"Hey, Marshall! Haven't seen you all summer! How's it been?" Jake smiled as he grabbed Marshall playfully into a headlock, messing up his hair like he was another sibling. Jake was a senior this year, and it was quite evident from his looks. He was big, broad, and bearded. Jake was one of the only people Marshall knew in school that could rock a full beard. Comparing the two side by side was like putting a poodle next to a grizzly.

"Easy Jake, I want to live through this year!" Marshall laughed, lightly fighting against Jake's hold. After a moment he set Marshall free, and the two boys shared some light conversation before Marshall called over the other blonde. "Finn, my dude! What's up?" Marshall raised a fist to the younger sibling, who smiled and returned the gesture. Finn was a sophomore this year, two years under his brother, but with just as fierce a personality. He could be a little goofy at times, but he was still a friendly kid.

"Hey Marshall, been a while. How was your summer?" Finn asked excitedly.

"You know me, man. Just doing what I do best," Marshall responded with a wink.

"Getting chicks or playing guitar?" Finn asked jokingly, knowing Marshall Lee's reputation as the resident heartthrob.

"Easy man, just the second bit. You know I'm not just some tail chaser," Marshall punched Finn's arm playfully, smirking. "This summer I just took some time for myself. What about you two? You and the beast over here get into any more adventures?"

"You bet man! Me and the bro took a trip all over Europe! It was totally math, dude," Finn began ranting. Finn may not be as big as his brother, but he certainly had the energy to match. That much showed through as he recalled the events of his trip. Many hand movements were used, and many sounds were made that Marshall didn't know humans could make. After several minutes Marshall knew he had to get out lest he be trapped with Finn until the end of days.

"Hey, would you look at the time, I got to get going. Class and all that, peace!" Marshall quickly wrapped up that conversation while looking at his bare wrist, giving the illusion of urgency. Marshall continued on through the halls, hands in his pockets and music in his ear buds. He nodded to several people as he meandered through the large campus, taking his time to make it to his first class. This year was math with Mr. King. Apparently, rumor had it that this guy was somewhat of a lunatic; talking to himself and mumbling strange things under his breath. As Marshall wandered into class at the chime of the final bell, he knew why. _This guy is crazy old!_ Marshall laughed to himself. _He could be my granddad's granddad._

"And who might you be young man?" Mr. King questioned Marshall Lee as he walked in, his old face getting a little too close for Marshall's comfort.

"Hey Mr. King, I'm Marshall Lee," Marshall responded, taking a step back. Mr. King stared him dead in the eyes for what seemed like one creepy eternity before ushering him to take his seat. Sighing, Marshall trudged to the back of the room and plopped down into one of the empty desks in the back of the room. Mr. King began with his lessons, not bothering to deal with "any syllabus nonsense until the end of class", as he put it. Marshall and the class groaned, preferring to get useless knowledge now rather than beginning any algebra crap. As the class went on, Marshall doodled on his notebook pages and drifted in and out of consciousness at various times. A loud slam on Marshall's desk roused him quickly from his sleep, and Marshall shot up in his desk looking around frantically before making eye contact with a yet again much too close Mr. King standing in front of him, a wrinkled hand on his desk.

"Marshall, since you seem to be enjoying class so much, how about you tell me the value of 'x' for this example problem we've been working on?" Mr. King hissed angrily in the poor teen's face. Marshall looked around the room, trying to catch someone's eyes for help. After a moment, Marshall's eyes locked with a girl a few seats away with the most peculiar hat. She mouthed '4' silently, and Marshall relayed the answer to the teacher.

"It's uhh, 4?" Marshall tried not to sound like he had no idea what was happening, even though he so obviously did not have any idea.

"Hmmm… You are correct Marshall. This time," Mr. King said menacingly, returning to the board to continue with the problem. Marshall looked back over at the girl who had helped him out. _Fionna._ Marshall recalled in his head. He caught her gaze again and mouthed a quick "thanks", flashing his killer smile. She just smirked and shrugged before turning her attention back to the teacher. The last part of the class passed without incident, though it took all of Marshall's mental strength to keep himself awake. As the bell rang and everyone flooded out of the room, Marshall was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Marshall turned to see Fionna, one again saving Marshall's skin by holding up his worn down pencil.

"Great work in there, Einstein. Am I going to have to follow you around today and save your butt?" Fionna handed over the utensil with a large grin on her face, her blue eyes locked onto Marshall's darker orbs.

"I-uh… Thanks Fionna. I had no idea you were in there for a bit," Marshall stuttered out before composing himself and returning her smile. "What's up next for you?"

"Well, it looks like art with one Mrs. Trunks?" Fionna stated while going over her schedule.

"Me too. I hear she's nice though. Wanna walk with me?" Marshall offered. Fionna gave a light nod, following Marshall to the art building. After some generic talk about class etiquette and expectations, the class was instructed to simply free draw whatever they wanted in their sketch books. Marshall made mostly doodles mixed with some song lyrics of his, not really taking much of it too seriously. He looked over Fionna's shoulders, amazed by what he saw. In the short amount of time he'd taken on his own smaller creations, she had produced what looked like a masterpiece in his eyes. It was a backdrop mostly, of some fantasy realm surrounded by waterfalls and floating islands all centered on a main castle. His eyebrows rose as he gazed over it, making Fionna giggle lightly as he gawked over her art. Marshall composed himself and looked at her. "That's awesome Fionna," he said with a smile. "I could never draw like that."

"I love drawing. I've always done it, ever since I can remember anyway. I'm sure you'll get there right?" Fionna responded in a friendly tone.

"Maybe. I prefer the art of music," Marshall laughed lightly and returned to his own work. Class wrapped up pretty soon, and the two parted ways for their next classes. Marshall had English for 3rd period, which mostly went over a list of books that they'll be reading and what will be expected on papers they turn in. Marshall went to lunch afterward, catching glances from Finn and Jake as he walked through the cafeteria to the exit doors in the far back. There was a spot in the back of the school past the cafeteria with a lone bench and some stone steps that seemed to once have been a part of the school, but have since been long removed. Marshall accidentally discovered it in trying to get away from a certain few people in his freshman year. Since then, Marshall has used it as his private oasis away from school yet still at school. He put his backpack on the bench and continued over to the stone steps, laying down on them and looking up at the afternoon sky. Several birch trees lined the area, their red leaves casting a light shade over Marshall as he looked up at the sky. Only a few wispy clouds were present on the blue vastness above him. Marshall closed his eyes and let the breeze run over him; let the sounds of the world grow louder. Marshall came here as an escape. From what had varied over the years, but today it was simply from the triviality of the school systems or "school shit" as Marshall often told himself. Today had been similar to his usual school days except for one factor; _Fionna_. He thought of her and her name again. This girl seemed friendly enough, though he hardly knew anything about her. But Marshall didn't care; He just wanted to get through all of this. Life, school, all of it. Marshall Lee heard the chimes of the school bell tolling once more, so he got up and gathered his bag and slung it over his shoulder. He looked back once more at his sanctuary before turning back to the doors of school.

"Fuck," Marshall Lee sighs as he pushes through the doors.

 **AN: So i'm back with another chapter, whoo! This one is a lot longer, I hope you all enjoy. I want to try and keep them around this length so as to get as much across as possible. I'll be continuing the school day, i just figurede ending it at near 2,000 words was sufficient. Anyway, review as you see fit. Themes mentioned in the summary will come, but for now i want to stick with fluff and introductions. Leave a review or PM me with questions, comments, whatever!**

 **~Akai**


	3. Chapter 3 - Music

Ch. 3 - Music

Shaking his head as he walked into his class, Marshall Lee flicked his hair out of his face and found his seat near the back of his class as usual. His Social Studies classes never hooked an interest in the young teens mind, so he spent most of the time during that class consulting his music journal and dozing when he could, though he did take notes towards the end of class when the syllabus crap was finally over. As yet another piercing bell rang through the school Marshall lazily packed up his things and slung his backpack over his shoulder, trying not to show too much excitement for his next class. Towards the end of the day, right before free period, he had his favorite class; Music. The first year Marshall had signed up for the class, he made an error with his counselor and got stuck in music history. While it wasn't the worst class he'd ever taken, it certainly didn't do him any good. But this year was different. In this one he could play guitar. One of the few things Marshall practiced frequently and basically lived for was guitar. Aside from his reputation as resident lady killer and acclaimed hunter of the night, Marshall was known for his adept skill with the 6-stringed instrument.

Marshall trotted into the classroom, mouth slightly agape as he looked to the wall where _dozens_ of guitars hung from the wall. Mostly acoustics, with a healthy mix of steel and nylon strings. Marshall took a seat near the front of the room's bleacher-like seating arrangement and waited excitedly as only a few more people filtered into the room. Marshall kept his eyes to the guitars, barely noticing the light plop of a body sitting in a chair next to him.

"Hey, Marshall? Earth to Marshall?" a smooth female voice called out from his right. Marshall smirked and turned his head slowly towards the voice, a pair of red eyes meeting his deep brown ones.

"Marceline," Marshall greeted his old friend with a killer smile while Marceline gave his shoulder a light fist bump. "Should've known you'd follow me in here. And you brought company?" Marshall leaned forward and gestured to the girl sitting next to the raven-haired girl. Unlike her much darker friend, this girl had on a classy black dress shirt with a bright pink cardigan over the top, as well as a knee-length pink skirt. Her hair, oddly enough, was just as pink as her outfit, and done up in a long ponytail. She sat in a very composed posture, and met Marshall's gaze by offering a hand in greeting.

"Greetings Marshall. My name is Bonnibel. Marceline has told me much about you, and I must say, she was right," Bonnibel stated curtly, eyes tracing over Marshall Lee. Off-put but not offended, Marshall put on a light smirk and put his hand out to meet hers for a gentle handshake.

"So Bonnie, you're a friend of Marceline's huh? I gotta say, the pink in your personality really brings out your icy eyes," Marshall Lee emphasized the adjectives using a lower, bass-y voice. He half closed his eyes and raised an eyebrow, looking directly into her eyes. It was a classic "Marshall Look" that he used on many of his new acquaintances. At this, Bonnibel's blank expression shifted to one of malice, as she dropped his hand and crossed her arms, staring unimpressed at the dark teenager.

"You weren't kidding with this one, were you Marcy?" Bonnibel muttered, turning to Marceline. "I honestly didn't think you meant it." With that, Marceline burst out laughing, doubling over in her chair. Marshall had a confused look on his face, not understanding the irony of the altercation.

"I don't get it. Hat usually kills them," Marshall sighed to himself, running a hand through his hair.

"Better luck next time Marshy," Marceline teased. She then turned to Bonnibel and planted a gentle kiss on the other girl's lips, causing Marshall Lee to flush a nice shade of crimson as he realized the situation. Marcy turned to him with another sly grin plastered on her face as she raised a hand to her pink-clad lover's and grasping it tightly. The three talked lightly about their summers, Marceline gushing over her summer tour with her band The Scream Queens, for which she was lead singer and bassist. She regaled Marshall with tales of dark, underground gigs and large stages, and how she played on stage with some of Marshall's favorite bands. Marshall Lee noted how impressive it all was, for someone so young to have the talent to go around the country and play music with big name artists (some of which could easily be twice their age) and still come back home and go to school. Marshall smiled at the thought of joining them one day, as he knew the rhythms to most of their songs and had even accompanied them on some of their first performances. The bell rang through the room and with it, the teacher. He was a tall, thin man, dressed in black work pants and a white collared shirt. A black tie hung loosely under his undone collar. He had black hair pushed neatly back and small glasses that rounded out his fresh-out-of-college look.

"Good afternoon class. I will be your instructor for this year in the ways of music and guitar. My name is Jackson Pierce, though you may refer to me as Mr. P, Jackie, or any other creative nickname you can think of. The whole professionalism thing doesn't really suit me," Pierce began. His tone was warm and inviting, and given his age, he wasn't too far ahead of the kids sitting before him. "I also feel that doing the whole 'syllabus' thing is overrated, though I do need to collect _something_ from you all by next week. Just have a parent or guardian sign like a piece of paper or something. I don't care." Pierce continued, adjusting his glasses. He quickly went through roll, not looking up from his clipboard as he listed names. Once he had finished going through the list, he set down his clipboard. "Is there anyone whose name I didn't call?" He asked, looking up at the class. A small hand lifted from the back of the classroom. Everyone's gaze now shifted to the blonde girl who slowly lowered her hand.

"My name is Fionna. I just got transferred into this class this morning," Fionna said. Mr. Pierce walked over to his computer on the far side of the room and clicked away at the keyboard.

"Ah yes, I see the email here. I'll add you to the roster. Thank you for joining us today." Fionna smiled at this and gave a light nod. Mr. Pierce turned back to the class. "The journey we will take this year should not be taken lightly. Some of you most likely wish to become rock stars. Others of you could probably care less about this class and simply want the credit." Several sneers came from a group of students towards the back of the class, causing Pierce's brows to furrow, though he continued as normal. "We will be exploring music through the guitar. We will examine different playing styles and learn the fundamentals, and through this, you will each find your unique sound. We will-," Mr. Pierce was stopped short as another set of snickers came from the same group in the back of the class. Once again, the heads of the class turned to look at the group of rebellious people, particularly one white-haired female towards the center who was laughing uncontrollably. Marshall met her gaze as well and quickly paled, his eyes going wide and his heart sinking into the bottom of his stomach. _Oh God. Of ALL the people in the world it has to be her…_ Marshall thought worryingly to himself. Marceline's hand gripped his shoulder as the teacher addressed the young woman.

"Is there something funny you'd like to share with the class, miss?" Pierce asked through gritted teeth. The teen merely smiled and replied in a smooth, devilish tone.

"Not at all, sir. _Please_ , continue," the girl responded sarcastically. Though obviously irked by the teen's interjection, Mr. Pierce continued with his speech. Afterwards he talked briefly on the handling and care of the class guitars, which they would be using daily in the class. He picked one up from the rack and pointed to each of the parts, naming them and demonstrating their functions. After this had been cleared up, he began assigning the class its guitar numbers.

"Number 13 goes to one Marshall Lee," Pierce said, handing Marshall his instrument and continuing on. Marshall merely nodded before sitting back down, examining the guitar he held. Not bad in his eyes, though it didn't measure to the standard at which he held his own guitar to. Standard issue would be the best way to describe the acoustic the dark teen held. A vanilla finish with steel strings, just Marshall's type (though he much preferred electric). The instructor finished handing out instruments and once again turned his attention to the class and spoke.

"This instrument will be an extension of your own self. Learn it well. For the remainder of the class, I will allow you time to explore the instruments in your hands. Feel free to mingle about the room and experiment." With that, Marshall, Bonnie, and Marceline all went to the corner of the auditorium-like room. Marceline began excitedly teaching Bonnie the basics, teasing her for the overly confused look she wore on her face. Bonnie had been more for logic and sciences, not the arts. Marshall shook his head and moved a few seats over, preferring to leave them to their own space. Finally looking down at the instrument, Marshall let loose a sigh of relief as he felt the strings under his calloused fingers. He began strumming out rock melodies he'd come to gather over the years, closing his eyes and letting his fingers work their own magic across the 6 strings he held. In the moment, he was free. Free to express and create, to groove and to go numb to the world around him. He savored the moments he spent lost in the making of music, this one included. That is until a light exclamation was made very, VERY close to Marshall's face. His eyes shot open and he shot backwards, nearly tipping his chair over. After finally regaining his balance, he looked forward into a pair of blue eyes staring quite close to his own.

"Ohmygosh I'm so sorry Marshall! Are you okay?" Fionna asked frantically, her hand on Marshall's shoulder. "I was off on my own and spotted you over here looking kinda lonely so I came over to see you and dude! You're such a good guitar player!" Fionna excitedly fanaticized over Marshall as he slowly collected his thoughts. He held up a hand, signaling her to stop for a moment.

"Thanks Fionna. Just try not to come at me so hard next time okay? The last thing I need right now is a heart attack," he said calmly, offering a small smile to put the teenager at ease. She returned the gesture and sat down next to Marshall, clutching her own guitar in her hands.

"Sorry about that. I'm just glad I actually have a friend to hang out with in this class. I can't wait to hear you play more!" Fionna exclaimed, showing another toothy smile. Marshall chuckled lightly to himself. _She is definitely an interesting one,_ he thought. "What about you, are you any good?" He asked her, gesturing a hand towards the instrument she held.

"Funny you should ask Marshall," Fionna replied with a grin. She turned her chair to face his and began strumming the chords to the same song Marshall had been plucking notes away to only a moment ago. Marshall raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. It wasn't anything too flashy, but it showed that she had obvious experience with her instrument. He let her continue for a few more bars, getting used to her tempo and tapping his foot in beat with her strums. He then began plucking his strings in time with Fionna's playing, his long fingers dancing over the strings in a complicated melody. She looked up at him and he met her gaze, nodding at her as a sign to tell her to keep going. The two weaved their sounds together, creating a perfectly synced harmony. Much to Marshall's surprise, she began to sing along with the music. Her voice was high and soft, not sharp like many pop stars tended to have. She closed her eyes as the duo continued, hitting the notes perfectly and playing along with an awesome precision. The sound of Marshall's deeper, bass-y voice caused Fionna to open her eyes and smile, still keeping her composure as she smiled and sang. The two seemed to blend their voices and sounds together perfectly, matching each other at every turn and creating an inspiring duet. As the song began to wind down, and the two let their final notes ring, the two looked each other in the eyes, each one with smiles lighting up their faces. After a few seconds the moment was broken as a small clap began emanating from the crowd that had gathered around the two. Marshall and Fionna looked around the group blushing lightly. Neither had noticed the other students that had gathered around them. Marceline and Bonnie were both clapping happily, and even Mr. Pierce was nodding his head with approval at the two from behind the students.

"That was amazing you two! You guys have got some sweet sounds," Marceline exclaimed happily as she approached the two. She turned her attention to the blonde, holding out a fist. "Nice work bunny girl. Your name is Fionna, right? I'm Marceline." Still blushing, Fionna lightly bumped the girl's fist and smiled. As the two were about to talk more, Pierce cleared his throat and spoke to the class.

"Well, on that note, we must begin putting away our things. The bell rings in 5, and I don't need to be responsible for any of you being late for any other classes, should you have them," Mr. Pierce announced. "We will begin lessons of the basics tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your day." One by one the instruments were returned to their spots with care. As Marshall went over and threw his backpack over his shoulder, he looked back at the white haired girl who was called out earlier. She was laughing it up with her 'friends', clearly engrossed in something quite humorous. Her laughs died down and the boys around her continued to talk amongst themselves; her eyes came to meet Marshall's from across the room. She had a sly, devilish look in her eyes, complimented by a coy smirk that played on her lips. Marshall took a dry swallow, momentarily locked into her gaze, only breaking free when she turned to respond to one her friends. Marshall quickly made his way towards the door, barely giving a goodbye to Marceline and Bonnie, who merely shrugged off Marshall's apparent coldness. Fionna had bore witness to what transpired, and quickly gathered her things to go meet up with Marshall. She pushed through the door of the classroom and briskly headed for the buses.

 **AN: Sorry for the huge delay on this story. I'm sure any fanfic reader would've heard a million excuses from authors so I'll keep the drama to myself. Basically, finals. That's the word of the week. College finals are ass but hey, gotta do what you gotta do right? :v Anyway, to those of you who actually read my fic, i hope you enjoy. Again, you can review or message me with any suggestions, questions, or comments. I love responding and talking about these things so dont be shy! Plus if you have any questions about me in general I'll be updating my bio soon so lemme know what you wanna know about me. If you care. I hope you do. 3 anyway enough of this nonsense. Hopefully the next chapter will be up round christmas. It'll be harder to write when i'm home believe it or not! Anywho.**

 **Cheers**

 **~Akai**


	4. Chapter 4 - Connections

Chapter 4 - Connections

Marshall quickly made his way through the halls of the school, his long legs carrying him fast through the pushing crowds. He slipped through the hordes of tired students as the flood gates of the front doors opened, releasing them all into the parking lot. Many kids walked for buses, the rest moving out into the parking lot. As much as Marshall wanted to just hop on his bike and leave, he heard the distant call of his name. Sighing, he leaned himself against his bike and raised a hand to the confused Fionna, notifying her of his position. With a light smile, Fionna bounded up to the dark teen.

"Playing guitar with you was nice today. I never thought I'd meet someone so good!" She exclaimed, trying to catch Marshall's gaze. He nodded and offered a half smirk of his own, his dark eyes looking off into the distance. Concern crossing her face, Fionna waved her hand a few inches in front of his face. "Earth to Marshall? You there?" Fionna asked, her eyes finally meeting his. Marshall shook his head and looked back at Fionna, as though awakened from some sort of trance.

"Yeah, I'm here Fi. I enjoyed playing with you too," Marshall said with sincerity. He too was amazed by the skill possessed by the young girl in front of him.

"Wait, did you just call me Fi?" Fionna questioned, a playful grimace crossing her face.

"Believe it Fi. What, not a fan?" Marshall leaned off his bike and looked down on the younger girl, a playful smile upon his lips as the blonde blushed lightly.

"Well, if you get to call me Fi, expect to be hearing the name 'Marshy' around here a lot more often!" Fionna crossed her arms as a look of shock and then disgust came upon Marshall's features.

"Ugh, really? That makes me sound like a little kid!" Marshall complained. Fionna simply stuck her tongue out at him and turned away, smirking to herself. Marshall couldn't help but smile. It had been a long time since he was able to mess around with a girl without her only chasing him for his looks. The silly banter the two shared was something Marshall could get used to. "Well, _Fi_ , I guess I'll just have to deal with it won't I?" Fionna turned around, surprised he had complied, and grinned happily.

"Deal _Marshy_ ," Fionna giggled to herself. Marshall reached a hand out and placed it on top of her head, patting it like she was a small puppy. Fionna slapped his hand away playfully and laughed to herself. Marshall felt a vibration in his pocket and quickly produced his phone. He looked at the message he had received from Marceline. _So you and the bunny girl huh? Call me for the marriage ;_. Marshall's cheeks flushed a light red as he put the device back in his pocket. "Who was that from Marshy?" Fionna said as she leaned in closer to Marshall.

"Just the Vampire Queen up to her usual antics. So are you taking the bus today or what?" Marshall asked the blonde. A look of remembrance crossed Fionna as she turned to see the last of the buses driving out of the school. Fionna turned back to face Marshall, looking sad. She stared at him with puppy dog eyes, her blue spheres darting back and forth between Marshall and his bike. Marshall could take the hint. He threw one leg over the motorcycle and reached towards the back, producing a spare black riding helmet. He lightly tossed it to Fionna, who caught it and struggled to squeeze it over her bunny hat. Marshall shook his head and chuckled, putting on his own helmet and flipping the machine on. He revved the engine and nodded his head motioning her to get on. She got on carefully as Marshall adjusted himself to take her weight. Before he took off, he reached a hand back and grabbed Fionna's and placed it around his waist, and she instinctively moved the other to match and grip his lean torso tightly. As they began to move, she rested her head on his back, squeezing him to balance herself. Neither one would ever admit it to the other, but both parties were blushing underneath the reflective helmets they were both sporting. When Marshall finally escaped the school grounds, he took off down the road to their neighborhood.

~!~

The trip home was fast for the two teens. Well, technically slow from Marshall's point of view, but breakneck from the other's perspective. As they pulled into Marshall's driveway, Marshall killed the engine and lightly put the bike on its kickstand. Fionna dismounted the vehicle shakily, her knees wobbling slightly as she tried to readjust to normal speeds and footing on solid ground. Marshall laughed lightly as he took off his helmet and pushed a hand through his hair, returning it to its normal (albeit disheveled) state. Fionna handed the spare helmet back to him and he returned it to its spot on the back of his bike. Fionna was the first to speak.

"Well that was certainly an experience. Do you always drive like a complete maniac?" She giggled lightly, but was also still visibly unnerved.

"Only when I'm accompanied by pretty girls or on days that end in 'y'," Marshall said, smirking to himself as Fionna realized the joke. She punched him lightly in the shoulder, only prompting a fit of laughter from the older boy as she continued her assault on his shoulder. "Please! Mercy, O Great One!" Marshall pleaded comically as he sustained her meek attacks. Fionna started laughing with him, a devilish grin creeping onto her face as she stopped for a moment and stared at Marshall. "Wait… What's that look for. Oh God n-" Marshall turned and bolted for his front door, narrow escaping Fionna's terrifying tickle attack. She soon followed suit, playfully chasing Marshall around his coffee table for a few circles before finally watching as he tripped over a table leg and landed back first onto his couch. He raised his hands in defense, but Fionna was soon upon him, her fingers darting past his defenses and onto his stomach, mercilessly tickling the poor teen. "C'mon Fi!" Marshall managed to choke out between gasps and fits of laughter as Fionna continued to attack her victim. Soon she straddled Marshall to get a better angle on him, until he caught her hands in his own. The two wrestled for control for several minutes before finally stopping from combined exhaustion, with both teens laughing happily at the events that transpired. Fionna rested her head on Marshall's chest, listening to his heartbeat slowly dwindle down to normalcy along with her own. Their ragged breath soon came down, and the two lay there enjoying the company of each other for a sweet moment. Fionna suddenly realized the position the two had ended up in, her head darting up and her hands coming to lay on Marshall's chest. The two both looked into each other's eyes, cheeks glowing red, not saying a word. Fionna's heartbeat soon escalated again, feeling nervous as she examined the boy in front of her. Who she originally thought was just a confident, womanizing teen was actually showing a gentle, nervous, and downright cute side of himself. She wondered if anyone had ever seen Marshall like this before, only causing her cheeks to melt to a deeper crimson shade. Many thoughts ran through Marshall's mind, mainly nervousness. Marshall repeatedly asked himself _What do I do What do I do_ over and over again in his head. As the pair locked eyes longer and longer, their faces slowly drifted closer to one another. Marshall could see how cute Fionna was from day one, but seeing her up close like this only solidified such a thought deeper into his mind. Soon, their lips were only inches apart, when the sudden ring of Fionna's phone ruined everything. She quickly jumped off Marshall and sat back on one of the cushions as Marshall sat himself upright and stared at the ground trying to understand what in the HELL just happened. Fionna flipped open her phone and was greeted by the voice of her father.

"Hi daddy. No I missed the bus today. Don't worry, our neighbor Marshall gave me a ride. Yeah. Yes I'm already on my way. Okay. Love you too," Fionna responded quickly and stood up next to Marshall. "Thanks for the ride Marshy. I have to go for now, but I'll see you tomorrow okay?" Fionna offered a big grin to the still-shocked boy. He turned and met her gaze, merely conjuring up a nod and a weak smile in return. He stood slowly and walked the girl to the door. As they stood on the porch, Fionna turned with rosy cheeks and planted a light kiss on Marshall's cheek before turning and strutting off towards her own home. Dumbstruck and feeling feels, Marshall trotted back into his house and closed the door behind him, leaning against it as he tried to wrap his head around all the things that had just transpired. One thing kept running through his mind like a swarm of bees. _Fionna._ However, Marshall was soon jolted from his thoughts as a knocking came from the door. Marshall quickly turned around and grabbed the handle, throwing on a smile and closing his as he addressed who he thought was the returning Fionna.

"Hey, did you forget something?" Marshall said happily.

"Not exactly," they replied, a seductive female voice that drained the color from Marshall's face as he opened his eyes. On his porch was the last person Marshall wanted to see in the entire world.

Ashley.

 **AN: That awkward moment when you tell people you'll write and update this story and don't like a douche. I'm sorry :,c I could make excuses but I've seen enough of that from other authors I follow. Not saying they aren't valid, I just mean I don't wanna complain about myself to you lovelies. But here's the new chapter. More of a transitional one, fluff and plot tweests galore! I know its a little shorter compared to previous chapters but I feel it gets what I wanted to get across, well, across. As always, review or pm me. Questions, comments, quips, idgaf. I really do want to make this a solid story and I will always respond in some form! Love you kiddos.**

 **Cheers**

 **~Akai**


	5. Chapter 5 - Spark of Hope Born in Fear

Chapter 5 – The Spark of Hope Lit On Fear

 **WARNING: This chapter WILL make use of MATURE THEMES. This is a trigger warning as well so if you feel uncomfortable with the subject of self harm DO NOT read this chapter.**

Marshall Lee's breath hitched for a moment in his throat. _Why is she here?_ Marshall had to mentally calm himself, repeating to himself that he must calm down. After a brief pause, Marshall opened his eyes again and met those he'd known long ago. He recognized the amber color from ages ago, but there was something different about them. It wasn't makeup, or anything physical like that; they were _sinister_. The raven haired teen opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced by Ashley's pointer finger slowly rising to meet his lips.

"Shhh… no need for words now Marshall. Just let me do the talking here," Ashley said, her tone light and seductive, sending a cold chill down Marshall's back. She slowly stalked forward, a finger still upon his lips, forcing him to move backwards inch by inch into his own house. Without breaking eye contact, Ashley closed the front door and pushed Marshall onward. He crept back, growing more uneasy as they moved, until finally stumbling over the leg of his coffee table landing back against the couch. Marshall's heart was pounding like a war drum in his rib cage as Ashley slowly leaned in and locked her lips to his in a rough manner. Marshall's eyes widened at the contact and he raised a hand to her shoulder to push her off, but Ashley quickly grabbed his wrists and put his hands to the side, allowing herself full control over the teenage boy in front of her.

Marshall finally broke himself away from her and took a breath.

"Ashley what the FUCK are you do-mmmphf!" Marshall was once again caught off guard by another lip lock, this time Ashley raising a hand to lightly cup his cheek in a kiss of lovers. Marshall's eyes opened wide as his mind was soon assaulted with memories.

~.~

Marshall and Ashley sat on a hill in the local park, taking shade from the sun under the leaves of a large, gnarled oak tree. His back pressed against the elderly trunk and Ashley leaned into him. She turned herself so that her soft amber eyes met his and smiled. She had been different then. Her clothes were simpler, a bright white cardigan wrapping her shoulders with a black band shirt that had once belonged to Marshall hung loosely underneath. She wore minimal make up and her platinum hair was freely waving as the summer wind cooled the world. Marshall met his lover's gaze, smiling lightly as he leaned forward and planted a soft kiss, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and bringing her closer to him.

"Marshall?" Ashley asked in a wondering tone.

"Yes?" He replied quietly.

"Do you love me?"

"With all my heart, Ash." He said. Ashley seemed to find this answer acceptable and nuzzled back against him, closing her eyes. Marshall shut his eyes too, letting out a long sigh as he stroked his girlfriend's hair.

"I love you too."

~.~

Marshall was jerked violently back to reality as he felt a tug at the black skinny jeans that struggled to keep themselves at his waist. His eyes darted down, looking as a flurry of white began to quickly de-clothe Marshall against his will. But no matter how much his mind screamed to fight back, his arms still hung limply at his sides. Soon he was nude from the waist down, and felt his arousal build as Ashley quickly discarded her own articles of clothing, tossing her shirt and bra to the side. She looked hungrily down at Marshall's growing member, breaking her gaze to look him in the eyes and catch the reaction in his face. Marshall closed his eyes, unable to look at her without feeling confused and anguished.

"Come on now Marshy, it's just like old times right?" Ashley taunted seductively, taking Marshall in her hands before lowering her mouth onto him.

"Ashley… Please…" Marshall called out weakly. But it was to no avail. His own thoughts were beginning to morph from coherent thought to instinctual urges, his arousal taking him beyond argument. His thoughts continued erratically flashing between memories new and old, as his mind slowly melted away. He wanted to fight, to _stop_ , but couldn't help but give in to the events unfolding. Ashley continued bobbing up and down, keeping a steady pace as Marshall's breathing got heavier and heavier.

~.~

Marshall thought back again to Ashley. The times he'd met her backstage after playing vigorous concerts with his friends. He thought about the laughs they'd shared over ice cream, or when he taught her a few of his own songs on the bass. How their hands would brush lightly, innocently, as though the two were merely children. How he'd held her close when she found out her parents had filed for divorce. He remembered the look of purity as he wiped the tears from her cheeks and told her she would be alright. How many times had he confessed his love to her? And her to him?

~.~

Ashley was fully unclothed now, straddling Marshall as he leaned back against his couch. She smiled gravely as she saw the dazed look across his face and how his eyes hung open half-lidded. She could feel the turmoil within him as she took what she wanted, relishing in every moment of pleasure as she soon mounted him and began to ride up and down on his member. She threw her head back as her breathing became ragged.

~.~

Soon Marshall's images began to warp and bend the farther in his own timeline he recalled. He thought back to the nights he spent worried to the point of physical sickness, waiting for a text or call back from Ashley as she went on trips for 'photoshoots'. How she came back with sunglasses perpetually covering her bloodshot eyes and how the smell of liquor never seemed to dissipate from her clothes. How she grew distant and cold, and how she stopped returning his "I love you"s. How he went through her phone at night out of worry and found her sending exposed pictures to the same three people every week.

He remembered how he clung to her, and how he believed he could fix things. How he took the blame for her lack of faithfulness, and how it was always him in tears as the nights closed. He remembered frantically driving above the speed limit to rush her to Urgent Care when he came home and found her scarred arm and needles covering the floor around her limp body in the bathroom. How she refused rehab and treatment.

He thought back to the fights they had. How he tried to leave her, but couldn't bring himself to follow through even when he knew how bad things were becoming. He remembered the day that she finally walked out of his life, bags in hand as she walked into the terminal to pursue a life of luxury, of dreams; and ultimately, a life without Marshall. He remembered the nightmares he had and the blood that filled the sink from his body, mixing with ragged breaths and hot tears until he finally slept out of exhaustion. How long had it taken him to move on?

~.~

Marshall lay still, finally breaking from his stupor. He looked slowly back and forth, focusing on a fully clothed Ashley with purse in hand smiling a fake smile down at his exposed form. She leaned in close and stole one last empty kiss from his lips.

"Thanks for the fun Marshall. You're _so_ much better than my current boyfriend. He never seems to last." Ashley whispered into Marshall Lee's ear before pulling back and offering one last smirk before walking out the door. It took Marshall several minutes just to move, and even when he did he was barely conscious of what had happened. _She used me again. She has a_ boyfriend _for fuck's sake…_ Marshall Lee may be the resident heartthrob, known for his handling of conversations and renowned for his ability to make women swoon, but he still had morals. He NEVER cheats or helps cheat. And yet here he was, after just doing what he swears not to do. Suddenly Marshall's thoughts all come flooding back at full force. _What have I done?_ Marshall could feel nausea mixed with guilt rising from his stomach as the taste of bile began to dance on his tongue. He threw on his pants and rushed into the kitchen and ripped open his refrigerator door. He quickly heaved the 1/3 bottle of vodka off the shelf and grabbed a shot glass from the sink. Marshall had never been much for the Devil's Nectar, but he knew that it at least provided a temporary release from the crushing reality he found himself in. He quickly poured and downed two shots, his face scrunching up and coughing at the taste. Despite the warm feeling in his throat and the shitty taste in his mouth he threw the shot glass across the kitchen as tears began to fall from his cheeks, the small glass shattering like a part of his own heart as it meets the wall.

Marshall begins taking swigs straight out of the bottle, downing gulp after gulp of the stinging liquid as he stumbled up his stairs into the bathroom. He finished the bottle and tossed that towards the trash can next to the toilet, some of the remaining few drops dripping out onto the tile. Marshall looked at himself in the mirror as old feelings became crawling back and voices in his head began whispering to him.

"Disgusting."

"Ugly."

"YOUR fault."

"Why do you exist?"

"Just lay down and DIE."

More tears flowed from his brown eyes, blurring his vision as the alcohol began to take its toll. Marshall Lee opened his medicine cabinet and rifled through the shelves quickly, moving old pill bottles and hair products before finally wrapping his hands around the object he sought; a razor blade. The voices in his head grew louder and soon materialized into the face of Ashley, warped and morphed into horrible demons he couldn't shut off. His hands shook as he looked once again at his reflection in the mirror, his sobs continuing. He hated the thing he saw staring back at him. It wasn't a person. It was a monster. A vampire who preyed on the weak and was shunned by the people he had poured his heart into. He felt caged. He thought of his friends, of Finn and Jake and Marceline. All people who had helped him escape his past. He looked down at his arms and whispered apologies that would go yet unheard as the cold metal tore new rifts into his skin and trickles of blood ran down his arms. He stopped, his hands shaking violently as he looked down at the eight or nine lines that now marked his upper wrists.

"How weak. You can't even bring yourself to do it. COWARD." Ashley's nightmarish form scorned him, taunting him in his vulnerability. The tears soon stopped as Marshall felt himself losing consciousness. He fell to the floor of his bathroom, looking up at the ceiling as the room spun. He gripped the rug by the sink, leaning his head into it.

"I'm sorry…" Marshall whispered to no one at all.

"I'm so sorry…"

 **AN: Hey guys, I'm an ass. I know. But I also have a direction with this story and plot points are beginning to be revealed. Stick around for new chapters, im sorry i haven't been updating. I've got a lot going on with college and personal issues.**

 **also. Self harm is NEVER the answer in ANY FORM. Cutting, burning, starving, all of it. If you need help SEEK HELP. Trust me. Your life matters. I promise that all of you deserve to be here 3**

 **Let me know what you think as reviews are always appreciated.**

 **Cheers,**

 **~Akai**


	6. Chapter 6 - Mind over Most Everything

Chapter 6 –

Marshall Lee woke with a gasp, his eyes ripping themselves open in the dead of night, taking deep breaths as though he had been tossed into a river. He quickly shot up and grunted loudly as his head collided with something solid, sending him back to the floor. He looked up and saw through blurry eyes that he had passed out in his bathroom, more specifically underneath his sink. Marshall raised a hand to the pained spot on his head, letting out a sigh as he touched the sensitive spot. Marshall glanced down at his arm and his breath hitched. He moved his arm out in front of his face, taking a moment to glance down at the consequences of his actions. His other hand reached over, fingers lightly tracing over the semi-sealed marks that now adorned his upper arm, like red reminders of the things he felt underneath his nonchalant exterior. He paused for a moment to gather his strength before finally forcing himself up onto his feet, wincing as pain shot down his arms.

Finally rising with a bit of a struggle, Marshall gripped the sink and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were puffy and red; his hair was a mess, and tear paths still marked his cheeks. _Sometimes I wish I didn't have a reflection._ Marshall thought to himself. He grabbed a hand towel from a small silver towel rack by the shower, dousing it with some water before lightly scrubbing his face. He washed away the marks on his face and hesitantly moved down to his wrists. The trails of blood that had hardened down his arm gave the illusion of long, deep rifts having been dug, but as Marshall Lee removed them, he could see that what he had done to himself hadn't been as bad as he had previously believed. His long fingers were once again drawn to feel the marks, inspecting the familiar texture of the clotting blood. He took the small towel and gingerly focused each new cut individually, making sure to wash each one thoroughly. When he finally finished, he looked back in the mirror one final time before turning to the shower.

After finally cleaning himself up, Marshall went back into his room to put on some fresh clothes. His movements were slow and sluggish, as if something were merely possessing him to fix himself up against his will. After throwing on some pants and a new flannel, Marshall flung himself down onto his bed. He didn't want to be up; more specifically, he didn't want to be alone with his thoughts. He knew what they could do to him, how his mind could be warped by the things around him. The more Marshall thought, the more memories of the night before began popping into his head. Marshall Lee tossed and turned in his bed, vocalizing out loud that he wanted these thoughts to STOP, that he wanted everything to go away. He cried for release in a weakened voice. He wanted numbness again; he wanted to stop feeling all together. The longer this went on, the more broken Marshall began to feel. Soon his light sobs turned into bitter laughs, new thoughts dawning on him in his weakness.

"It's sad that all of this feels so familiar," Marshall whispered to himself. He turned over once more in his bed before shutting his eyes, the voices in his head beginning to silence themselves.

~.~

The ringing of a doorbell was what finally roused Marshall from his slumber, eliciting a long groan from under the safety of his blankets. He chose to ignore it however, knowing that he was in no state to even bother trying to interact with people. He couldn't even deal with _himself_ at this point, trying his damndest to block out everything around him. The ringing continued, the loud and constant sound throbbing in Marshall's head. After a moment of silence he heard his front door slam closed. _Wait… Did someone just come inside? What if it's Ashley?_ Marshall's mind started racing. He was in no way prepared for any of this. He threw off his blankets and frantically jumped off of his bed. He quickly stumbled over to his bedroom door and threw it closed right as an unknown figure had reached him, locking it and sitting against it in sheer fear of who might be on the other side. Marshall's breathing had increased rapidly and his hands were trembling lightly. He ran a shaken hand through his hair and dry swallowed, trying to think of a way out of this confrontation. He was soon taken from his frantic thoughts as a knock and a voice came from the other side of the door.

"Marshall? Are you okay?" she asked. "You weren't at school today."

 _School? Shit what time is it? I don't have my phone and- wait. That's Fionna!_ After quickly standing and composing himself as best as he could, Marshall Lee stood up and opened the door for his neighbor. Standing there in the frame was the familiar sight of Fionna, clad in clashing shades of blue and that weird bunny hat plopped haphazardly on her head. She looked to him with a smile that soon turned into a concerned frown.

"Why weren't you at school today?"

"I-uh. I was, AM sick. I-I must've caught something the other day during the rain," Marshall stuttered out unconvincingly, adding a terribly imitated cough at the end in hopes of sealing the deal.

"You're full of it Marshy. What happened to you? Your place is a mess, stuff's knocked over, there's broken glass in your kitchen," Fionna's look of worry deepened as Marshall shifted uneasily in the doorway.

"Let's go talk downstairs or something," Marshal finally said, glancing down the stairs. Fionna stepped back, allowing Marshall to take the lead as the two made their way back to the living room space they had shared the day before.

Marshall hesitated a moment before carefully settling himself into the couch where the previous night's events had transpired, recollection flashing in his eyes. Fionna was eying him with suspicion, but decided to allow Marshall to speak first. The two sat in an awkward silence for what seemed like an eternity before Fionna decided to break the ice.

"What happened here Marshall?" She asked quietly, allowing concern to adorn her words. She continued to try and capture Marshall Lee's gaze unsuccessfully, as the boy kept his eyes on the floor, his hair covering up his expression.

"I… was just a little sick, that's all," Marshall looked up at Fionna, attempting to give a reassuring smile. However, Fionna was much more perceptive than he gave her credit for, and pierced his gaze with a harsh stare of her own.

"There's no need to lie to me Marshall. I really am concerned for you. Can't you see that?" Fionna's gaze softened, but Marshall was determined to keep Fionna in the dark.

"Fionna, I told you already; I got sick. I was feeling weak and had trouble keeping my balance. Don't you think I can take care of myself?" Marshall spoke quickly, acting much more brash then he knew he should've. But he _couldn't_ involve Fionna in his situation. So he retaliated the only way he knew how.

"I do, but when you show up to school without saying anything it makes everyone worry! You didn't tell anyone where you were and I still don't know enough people in the school. You left me all alone!" Marshall once again met her gaze, noting the pain she conveyed through her sapphire eyes. _It's true; I did leave her alone didn't I. Shit…_

"I'm sorry I left you alone Fionna, but you could've always gone to Marceline. You're her friend, and she likes you."

"I tried but she spent all of lunch sucking face with her Pepto-Bismol girlfriend! Look Marshall the point of this is that you ought to have been a bit more considerate. And you still haven't told me what actually happened here!" Fionna was becoming angrier by the second. Marshall's thoughts began to cloud again; memories of the past surfacing once again in his already wounded head.

"I don't need to take these accusations from you Fi! I told you what happened and you can either take what I've said or get the fuck out of my house!" The moment these words escaped his lips, Marshall immediately felt regret. The look of pain that crossed her face stung Marshall deeply. He wished he could take it back, but he was too deep. He was coping with everything the only way he really knew how; by pushing everyone away and bottling up his issues.

"I just want to help you…" Fionna uttered in a hushed tone. Marshall simply looked down at his hands as she slowly walked to his front door. She turned around once more, looking at Marshall's doubled over form before turning and walking out. Though she couldn't see it, Marshall's cheeks were once again stained with tears, his eyes stinging as drops fell against his open palms. Marshall slowly cupped his face with his hands, allowing silent sobs to take hold. _This isn't how I want to be. Why can't I face anyone? Why does she still hold me back?_ The voices in Marshall's head began whispering evil to him yet again, growing louder and louder with every word uttered.

"Ugly."

"Worthless."

"Waste."

"You can never love."

"NEVER love."

"You're MINE, Marshall."

Marshall lay down on the couch, losing control of his thoughts as they spiraled again into Ashley's decrepit, mangled demon form. Her white hair grew shaggy and the skin slowly melted off of her face, revealing a half-grinning skull underneath to plague Marshall's thoughts. Marshall cried out weakly for help as he drifted out of consciousness.

"Marceline."

"Mom."

"Dad…"

"Fionna…"


	7. Chapter 7 - ASFTKTDB

Chapter 7 – A Small Front to Keep the Demons Back

A week had gone by since Marshall's outburst with Fionna, and hardly a word had been uttered between the two of them. Marshall had tried his best to at least make eye contact with the young blonde, but her once-shiny blue orbs held a cold and icy stare towards any direction except for his. He wasn't surprised by this after what he said; it was his fault after all.

Marshall had been contemplating a lot on his own after the encounter with Ashley he had, much of it being blocked out subconsciously. Marshall knew what had happened to him, but it left him in a state of confusion, almost like a numbness that hung around him in a nearly noticeable cloud that attracted his friends' attention. After walking out from class to lunch, Marshall was about to turn down his usual pathway towards his tree spot when a light hand was laid gently upon his shoulder.

"Marshall. What's the deal lately?" Marshall turned slowly to see the concerned face of Marceline staring up at him, concern and frustration apparent in her gaze. "I know you like to zone out and shit during school, but this isn't like that, is it?" Her tone was aggressive, almost accusing. Marshall contemplated for a moment, his face remaining expressionless as he met her gaze.

"I don't know what you're talking about Marcy," he said nonchalantly.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about you butt!" Marceline exclaimed suddenly, a fury building in her eyes. "You're off in your head way too often! You don't pay any attention to your friends, you haven't spoken to Fionna in weeks, and the rest of us are actually worried about you!" Marceline continued. Marshall's eyes widened as she spoke, his mind racing through his options. _She knows about me and Fionna. How much did Fi tell her? Should I keep lying? No. I should tell them the truth, I need to talk to someone abou-_

 **Marshall. They wouldn't believe you…**

Marshall's heart stopped as he heard _her_ voice manifesting itself in his ears. **You know they'll never believe you. They'll think it's all a joke. They'll laugh at you. Make fun of you…**

 _Stop it… you're wrong!_

 **Oh please. I'm never wrong.**

 _Go away! You're not a part of my life anymore!_

*SMACK* "OW, my cheek-meat!" Marshall exclaimed.

Marshall winced, a hand moving immediately to cradle his left cheek. Marshall looked back down to Marceline only to see her turning away and walking the opposite direction. He knew he had to do something. _I'll fight my own battles_. He thought to himself. _The others don't need to be a part of this. I just need to make sure I stay in control._

"Wait, Marcy! Come back!" He called after her, jogging to catch up to where she had stopped. Her eyes were downcast and anger was still very much written all across her face. "Look, I'll be honest with you. I'm going through a little bit of stuff right now, but it's nothing you or the guys need to worry about, okay? I promise. As for Fionna, I know how I'm gonna make up with her. And the rest of you too!" Marshall put on his best killer smile, his old confidence once again returning on the outside. But on the inside he knew he was lying.

"We're gonna have a big group party this weekend at my house. And when I say group, I mean _our_ group. You can bring your girl-toy if you want, but none of your crazy party-animals. Does that sound good?" Marhall Lee stared into her eyes, a pleading look meeting her stone cold gaze, he could see the gears turning in her head. With a 'hmph', Marceline continued walking to their normal lunch table. As she reached the end of the hall she turned back and shouted to Marshall.

"There better be good booze!" she yelled with a small grin. With a simple nod, Marshall turned around and walked in the opposite direction. _I have to make up with Fionna first. But what do I_ do _?_

* * *

 **Fionna POV**

Fionna stepped off from the bus, stretching her arms over her head and letting out a big yawn. She had stayed late to help her a foreign exchange student with their group project for the week. She believed him nice enough, if not a little weird. _B. Mo was his name? I couldn't really hear him._ She thought to herself. She glanced over at Marshall's house, a defeated sigh escaping her lips. _I want to make up with him, but I've already been so cold… But he deserved it! He should come to me!_ Fionna huffed to herself and headed off to her house. Walking down the small dirt road that lead her to her house, a confused look crossed her face as she glanced towards the front of her house, spotting a familiar red motorcycle parked out front with the helmets strapped to the back. She continued into her house, her mind racing as she thought about what she would say when she'd see Marshall.

Fionna opened the door and was immediately greeted to the smell of coffee and the ringing sound of laughter, recognizing both voices immediately. She followed the sounds into the kitchen her mouth agape as she examined the scene in front of her. Her mother, laughing loudly, Marshall Lee sitting opposite her, Marshall sipping coffee from her _favorite_ mug. As if this wasn't enough, her cat was purring and curled up _on his lap!_

The pair before her had both turned to her with smiles on their faces, her mother being the first to address her.

"Our new neighbor is quite an interesting young fellow, Fionna. And he makes some mean java," her mom giggled. "He was just telling me about all the help you've been to him in school. You two seem to be getting along well." Fionna's mom looked at her daughter with a sly grin causing an explosion of red across Fionna's cheeks.

"MOM," Fionna screeched, her voice cracking which elicited only more blushing.

"Well, this has been lovely Mrs. Mertens, but it would seem my study partner has arrived. We'll try to keep the volume to a minimum." Marshall said with a wink, flashing his trademark grin.

"Please, Marshall, just call me Cathy. The whole 'Mrs.' thing makes me feel old." Cathy said politely.

Marshall offered a simple nod as he rose from his chair, Fionna's cat quickly climbing up to lay along his shoulders as he made his way towards Fionna.

"Shall we?" Marshall offered lightly for Fionna to lead the way. Her disbelieving look was quickly struck away with annoyance as she stomped past him, looking back to see her cat staring at her from her perch on Marshall Lee. _Traitor…_

After conquering the stairs, the three quickly made their way to the final door on the floor, Fionna opening it to reveal a very blue, very unique bedroom. Fionna watched as Marshall's eyes traced the walls of her bedroom, where many posters of exotic landscapes and vacation areas were intermingling indiscriminately with many, many hand drawn images. She waited a few seconds for Marshall to glance over everything before finally opening her mouth to speak.

"What are you doing here Marshall?" She wanted to be mad, but couldn't muster up the courage to put any real malice into her voice. He sat in a sky-blue chair where her desk was, lifting a hand suggesting she sit opposite him on her bed.

"First off, I want to sincerely apologize to you for how I acted last week. I was dealing with a few personal things and I took my feelings out on you, which isn't cool at all." Marshall took a quick breath before continuing. "You're really cool Fi, and I want you to stick around with me. So if there's anything I can do to make this up to you, let me know. I'll do anything, short of it being felony, if it'll make up for what I did."

Fionna stayed silent for a few moments, taking in what he said and gazing into his eyes, looking for any reason to believe him insincere. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, she just had to be sure she wouldn't regret accepting his apology.

"There's only one thing I want from you Marshall," Fionna said quietly. Marshall leaned forward slightly, his eyes having a determined gaze about them. She could tell he really felt remorse and closed her eyes. "Honesty. I just want honesty. I know we're still getting to know each other, but I don't want there to be any secrets. I want to be in your circle too, just like the others. And I think _all_ of us would appreciate a bit of communication from you." Fionna opened her eyes and met her shining eyes with Marshall's darker pair, noting the small smile on his face.

"Okay Fionna. I'll tell you whenever something's bothering me." Marshall smiled a genuine smile, content to see that Fionna was willing to work with him. "Now, I hope you've cleared your schedule for this weekend." Marshall stood as he said this. "Yours truly is having a little get together this weekend, and seeing as you're now a part of my circle, it means you get automatic invitations." Marshall gave a quick wink, only to be met with a roll of Fionna's eyes. "Now, do my eyes deceive me or is that fine acoustic instrument yours?"

Fionna laughed as Marshall made his way over to her guitar, picking it up and immediately settling his hands into a playing position. She was glad she could talk to Marshall. She saw how he looked that day she had stopped by. Something was wrong and she knew it, but she trusted Marshall to tell her if it was that serious.

All she really wanted was to see him smile, like he finally was now.

* * *

 **AN: Well, I honestly hate the lack of attention I've given this story. But of course i had to come back to it eventually, even if it's like 3:40 AM like a year after I started this. I hate that I didn't stick with it after all the attention it's gotten. I'll do what I can for this story and hope it won't die. As always, R and R is appreciated. Message me for comments, questions, concerns. You know this. I want this one to work out so I'll keep working on this as much as I can.**


	8. Chapter 8 - WTSTF

Chapter 8 – Where There's Smoke There's Fire

The weekend of Marshall's last-minute get together/party was quickly approaching, and Marshall had only barely begun preparing for it. Aside from cleaning up around the house and making a few playlists to get them through the night, Marshall Lee had pretty much stared distantly through a week's worth of classes, barely managing to hold his attention or focus in most classes. It was Friday, and Marshall was currently sitting in his music class listening to Marceline, Fionna, and Bonnie all chatting it up about their ideas for the weekend party.

"All I'm trying to say is that it's _impractical_ for us minors to partake in alcohol! The effects are detrimental to growing bodies and it just seems so- so- so barbaric!" Bonnie exclaimed, earning a chuckle from Marceline.

"Really? Cuz I remember one time you were particularly loopy off some G and T's. You came backstage the second our set was up and tried to-" Marceline began recalling an event of particular graphical content, but was quickly cut off before she could go any further.

"I'll have you know that I was simply gathering data on the effects and properties of a few alcoholic beverages, and we will leave it simply at that." Bonnie's face had washed a few shades darker than her hair, and Fionna chuckled lightly as Marceline wore a triumphant grin on her face. While Marceline moved over to console Bonnie on her behavior, Fionna took notice of the spaced-out look Marshall had as he played the same note on his guitar over and over and over and-

"Heya Marshy? Whatcha thinking about?" Roused from his daze Marshall looked over to the rabbit-hatted girl who had scooted over to him. He took a moment to pause before answering.

"Just thinking about how wild this shin-dig will be tonight. Are you sure that you can handle partying with my crowd Fi?" Marshall gave her a smirk as she rolled her eyes.

"I think I can manage. I'm not as straight-edge as I might come off you know." She gave him a playful wink and stood up to put back her guitar. The bell had sounded, and Mr. Pierce waved the class off, warning them not to 'Do anything I would or wouldn't do'. They all slowly filed out into the crowded halls of AAA, trying their best to stick together as the crowds of students mashed into one another in an effort to break the threshold of the school. The group quickly said their goodbyes and moved to their respective transports home, agreeing to meet up again at 7. Marshall once again hopped on his bike, waving Fionna a quick salute as she climbed onto her bus. Marshall started up his bike and revved the engine a few times, his eyes trailing up to see the last of the kids making their way out of the school, when his eyes connected with hers.

Ashley.

Marshall Lee froze as her eyes bore into him, piercing the reflective visor of his helmet, as though seeing right into his very being. Her eyes narrowed and her lips split into an eerie smile, and Marshall wanted nothing more than to disintegrate into a pile of ash right then and there. She stared for a few more seconds before being called away by one of her friends, breaking her eye contact and seemingly breaking her hold on the raven-haired teen. He breathed deeply several times to try and stop his beating heart from exploding within him. He could never tell what she was thinking, what sorts of sinister things she would be plotting behind the scenes. He quickly pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road, losing himself in the speed of his travels. _I have to get a grip. Just focus on the party Marshall. We'll get through this_.

~.~

With a grunt, Marshall shoved his couch heavily against the wall of the living room, the floor no mostly clear of the furniture that normally inhabited it, making way for a spacious dance floor. Knowing how far the reaches of Finn and Jakes friend groups went, he expected that his "Circle-Only" party would be littered with people he didn't know. He couldn't be too upset over that, it just meant he'd dedicate some space upstairs to hosting his true friends as the party goes on. He quickly tested the sound system, ensuring the music would be as bass-y and loud as possible without killing their ears. He also left out a couple handles and some plastic cups in his kitchen, ensuring that most of the glass would be out of the hands of party hooligans. He checked his phone to see it was still only about 5:40, meaning he had time to get himself ready for the party.

Marshall started to head upstairs when he heard a vigorous knocking on the door, a knowing smile crossing his lips. He opened the door to see Jake hulking a few steps away from the door, a full keg in tow, along with Finn carrying two racks of beer. He peered past them, seeing the back of Jake's beat up truck filled to the brim with even more alcoholic goodness.

"Holy fuck you guys I told you enough for the crew! This could last a small country decades!" Marshall faked annoyance, but the smile on his face at seeing his friends told otherwise.

"You know it wouldn't be a real Marshall Rager without literal mountains of booze right?" Finn joked, heaving the alcohol into Marshall's kitchen.

"You know it bro! You know we make the party. I'm a damn animal!" Jake gave a howl, causing Finn and Marshall to laugh as they started to move the rest of the goods. A few minutes later and Marshall's kitchen looked like the backroom of an uptown bar.

"Alright you guys, it's about time I make myself pretty for the party, You two might wanna think about doing the same," Marshall smirked while looking the two up and down. The blonde brothers laughed and made their way out of his house, heading back to make some last minute preparations for themselves.

~.~

Bass, throbbing through the walls of the house and the veins of the drunk, grinding bodies of teens. Marshall's house had been bombarded with an earth-shatteringly large amount of people. _So much for only bringing 'the crew'_ Marshall thought to himself as he squeezed through the crowd of people raving in his living room. Trying to move through the bouncing crowd was akin to running a marathon, and Marshall concluded he could use a drink. Shuffling over to the kitchen, Marshall Lee took a moment to browse the stock of various alcohols laid out before him before settling on a bottle of Tennessee Honey Jack Daniels, taking a few hearty swigs from the bottle. Marshall winced as the burning liquid slid down his throat. He took the bottle and carefully stepped past more dreary-eyed drunken, wait were these guys _even in school?_ Marshall took note of more of the crowd, examining many of them seeming much older than the average high schooler he was used to seeing.

He made his way over to the DJ table where Jake was currently manning his post, keeping the crowd engaged in the ridiculously loud club-like music he was spinning. Marshall approached the booth and waved to get the older Mertens boy's attention.

"DUDE. What's the deal with all of these people?!" Marshall strained to make himself heard over the music.

"I told you man, I know a _lot_ of people! Chill out and enjoy yourself bro!" Jake waved Marshall off, leaving the teen to grumble to himself as he continued to sip away at his Jack Daniels. Normally a rager like this would be fun, but the last time he went to one of these he only remembered seeing his ex cheating on him before getting blackout drunk. The more he recalled his previous party experience the more tempted he was to try and shut this down.

 _No Marsh, keep it together. You promised you'd prove your normalcy._

 **Normal? Don't kid yourself hun. Things will** _ **never**_ **be normal as long as I'm here.**

 _Shut up! Can't you stay out of my head for one fucking night?_

 **You'll have to try harder than that to be rid of me Marshall. I own you.**

 _You don't own SHIT Ashley, least of all me!_

Marshall tried hard to convince himself that he was in control, but even he couldn't keep up the act forever. Suddenly he felt overwhelmed, his mind racing a million miles a second. His senses were going into overdrive, and he was starting to sweat. He needed to get away from all of these people, from all of this _stuff_. He needed space. Downing the last of his drink and grabbing a bottle of vodka from the kitchen, Marshall raced up the stairs to the last door on the floor.

~.~

Fionna had spent a great deal of time debating whether or not she wanted to even be at this party once things got going. She had taken a good two hours making sure her hair was perfectly kept up in her trademark hat and applying a slightly larger-than-normal amount of makeup before coming to this party. By the time she opened the door she was immediately pushed inside as though she was being swallowed by an ocean of tipsy strangers. After recovering from the initial shock she quickly took solace in the slightly less-crowded kitchen. Fionna knew tonight would be relatively crazy, but no one would ever anticipate it being this crowded. She stood and scanned the crowd aimlessly, hoping that by some miracle she would be able to recognize at least one person in the crowd.

Fionna was knocked a few feet away as a pair of bodies collided into her, almost sending her face first into the floor. After recovering Fionna turned with malice in her eyes and her hand balled into a fist, ready to pummel whoever had bumped her, before her eyes settles on the blonde boy locked at the lips with a fiery red-headed girl.

"Oh shit, my bad Fionna! I was a little wrapped up in things, I didn't see you there," Finn offered with a chuckle, finally separating from the girl he was with. Fionna looked her up and down, recognizing her as a girl from their school that she'd seen with Finn in passing. _What class was she in?_

"Finnnnnnnn, come onnnn, we were having *hic* fun!" The redhead clung lazily to Finn's hip, shoving her face towards his attempting to initiate another lip-lock.

"Chill Ember, we've got the whole night to try and enjoy ourselves okay. Have you two met before?" Finn looked between the two, sensing Fionna seemed off put. "Okay, Ember this is Fionna, my homie, and Fionna this is Ember, my girlfriend. She's a lightweight, and can be very affectionate when drunk." Finn's quick introductions were quickly pushed aside as Ember stepped straight up to Fionna, pressing her face almost nose to nose with her.

"How do you know my Finn?! Are you his ex or something?!" Ember began quickly accusing, a fire in her eyes. Her words were slurring slightly as she wobbled back and forth on her feet. Before Fionna could react, Finn quickly pushed the girl the other way back towards the crowd, trying to calm her down. Looking back Finn looked at her apologetically.

"Sorry about her, she can also be _very_ protective. Here, take my drink, you look like you haven't had any. I'm gonna go dance and try to calm her down." And with that Finn and his fiery lover disappeared back into the crowd. With a sigh, Fionna looked down at the cup in her hands, taking a tentative sip of the strange liquid. She was surprised as the drink went down quite easily, noting the heavy flavors of orange juice decently masking the subtle vodka taste underneath. Fionna continued sipping, scanning the crowd to try and catch a glimpse of the host of this crazy party.

She caught just a flash, but even that was enough to know it was him. Marshall had an odd expression on his face, like he was thinking hard, or as if he was in some sort of pain. He rushed up the staircase off in the corner of the living room. Fionna smiled to herself and eagerly followed the raven-haired teen to the second floor.

~.~

Marshall pushed open the door slowly, only just now realizing which room he had entered in an attempt to escape the chaos below him. Taking in the older furniture, the king sized bed, the nightstands on either side, Marshall's breath caught in his throat.

It was his parents' room.

Ever since the incident, he hadn't gone inside, too afraid of what he might feel. He froze in place, a wave of several emotions hitting him all at once. Everything was as he remembered it as a kid. Not a thing was out of place, not one speck of dust had been misplaced after all this time. Marshall walked slowly around the room, inspecting each item in the room with some form of memory or feeling of a time or a place coming with it. He still had his childhood toys littering the ground at the foot of their bed, there were still his dad's band shirts and his mom's work blouses on the floor of the closet.

The most important item Marshall found was strewn among the pillows on the bed. He almost didn't see it, just barely catching sight of its' arm sticking out from between the sheets.

 _Hambo_.

Marshall recalled the name instantly, moving quickly to pull the bear out from its hiding place, his eyes tearily glossing over every detail of the beat up stuffed bear. It had been his dad's favorite toy since he was a kid, and when he passed it down to Marshall, he never let it out of his sight. Half of the damage and on the bear had been caused by Marshall himself while the shoddy repairs had been implemented by his mother. He plopped heavily onto the bed cradling the bear close to his chest as the tears now flowed freely as he recalled his parents. The alcohol coursing through his system made his memories hazy, and only moved to amplify all of the chaotic thoughts running through his head. He didn't need to deal with this again on top of everything else, he needed to _stop_ feeling. He got up and trudged to the glass door on the other side of the room, leaving behind his prized bear and taking his bottle of vodka.

He stared emptily at the bottle in his hands, taking a few deep breaths before pouring the liquid right down his throat. He managed several large gulps before coughing heavily, the singeing feeling in his throat nearly causing him to chuck it right back up. He swallowed heavily before hitting the bottle, coughing again, repeating these two steps until the bottle was 2/3 gone. His senses were numbing, his body felt hot and heavy, and he could barely think straight.

A soft hand placed itself on Marshall's shoulders, causing him to flinch wildly as he looked back and met his eyes with Fionna's.

 **Now you've gone and done it. She's going to ask questions. What will you tell her, I wonder?**

"Sh-shut up," Marshall murmured, his voice barely audible.

"Marsh are you okay? You look like crap, how much have you had to drink?" Fionna asked, concern evident in her voice.

 **You're weak Marsh. She'll learn to hate you, just like everyone else does.**

"I said shut the fuck up!" Marshall shouted, staring distantly past Fionna. His thoughts were quickly interrupted by a sharp pain in his cheek as Fionna struck him.

Marshall clutched his cheek lazily, the burning of his flesh quickly fading as the alcohol continued to permeate his system. Marshall looked up to see Fionna's blurry form walking briskly away, out of the room and down the stairs.

 **You drove her off Marshall. Now you can be alone again.**

Marshall couldn't control himself, his body racked with sobs. He was filled with so many different cursed emotions, so much self-loathing and feelings of loneliness, and it was all coming out like a waterfall. He didn't stop as arms wrapped around him gently, he took no notice as a head nestled against the nape of his neck as he was hugged from behind. The two stayed like that for a long time, neither of them saying anything as Marshall exhausted himself and his sobs subsided to occasional sniffles.

Fionna came around to face Marshall, eyes full of concern and even some of her own tears. She didn't say anything as she nudged Marshall back onto his feet and slowly guided him inside to the bedroom. She sat him down on the edge of the bed and handed him a water bottle.

"Drink," she said, her voice quiet. Marshall did as she said, welcoming the refreshing liquid in place of the alcohol. She placed a plate on his lap, Marshall groggily looking down noting it had several pieces of bread on it.

"M'not hungry," Marshall slurred, earning him a stern look from Fionna.

"You have to sober up a bit Marshall," Fionna said, her tone not leaving room for negotiations. They spent the next few minutes with Marshall eating bread and sipping water while Fionna watched over him, making sure he kept everything down. When he finally got it all down and they spent a few minutes decompressing, she slowly pushed him back onto the bed, tucking him under the sheets. She looked to the back of the bed and her eyes caught sight of the beat up stuffed bear. She grabbed it slowly and put it next to Marshall who snuggled it gently in his half-conscious state.

Fionna took one last look at her friend, her mind still full of questions, but deciding to let him have his rest. As she got up to leave she was surprised to feel Marshall grab her wrist.

"Please mom… stay," Marshall pulled Fionna softly. Not wanting to upset him, she got into the bed next to Marshall. This entire night had been going in a completely different direction than she thought it would, and definitely not as fun as she had hoped. But at the same time, she was determined to get the answers as to what was going on out of her friend. Come tomorrow, that is.


End file.
